Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond president Colin Lee OAM to release 2022 floods book Turning Tides

A northern NSW Rotarian spearheaded a huge recovery effort from day one of the historic 2022 floods - helping organise homes for survivors, thousands of meals and more. Here’s Colin’s story.

A temporary home with gas and solar featuring an outdoor shower which was supplied and fitted as part of Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond’s aid after the floods. Picture: Supplied.

A northern Rivers Rotarian spearheaded a huge recovery effort from day one of the historic 2022 floods - helping organise homes for survivors, thousands of meals, clean ups, furniture, whitegoods and more.

Now, Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond president Colin Lee OAM is set to release a book about the devastating disasters with journalist Christine McNeil as the region claws back to normality.

Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond president Colin Lee OAM with his book Turning the Tide, which he worked on with journalist Christine McNeil. Picture: Supplied

“We could see the hardship that was going on and the complete chaos that was going on,” he said.

“So many people were being displaced … our main focus initially was evacuation centres, to try and give them some food.”

Mr Lee said meeting those impacted in the “terrible situation” was “very confronting”.

He assisted in making incredible acts of human kindness happen, from pizzas delivered by canoe to thousands of meals handed out in packed evacuation centres each day - and the installation of 40 container homes on survivors’ properties.

Colin Lee speaking on Paradise FM after the floods.

His book titled Turning the Tide details the challenges in the aftermath and the aid given by volunteers, tradies, Rotarians and other community members.

Mr Lee helped raise close to $2 million and roped in as many community members as he could after the worst flooding Ballina and the wider region had ever seen.

The Rotarian and members of his beloved club saved countless kilograms of meat from butchers and restaurants to help feed flood victims. Mr Lee rostered on people to dish up the meals, as well as about 300 sandwiches each day.

Clarissa Huegill and hubby Mick Lyons got involved and teamed up with Domino’s Pizza in Alstonville to feed Wardell flood battlers.

Mick Lyons' novel pizza delivery to Wardell evacuation centre during the 2022 flood recovery. Picture Supplied.

The couple met delivery vans at Meerschaum Vale and Mr Lyons took the pizza in his canoe to the Wardell Sports Clubhouse about 4km away, where hungry people were jammed in with pets.

Rotarians helped affected residents clean out homes, rip up carpets, remove sodden furniture out of mouldy properties and hand out vouchers for food and other essentials.

“We ran a fundraiser to get some money out to people because all the money they had was impossible to get as everything was closed down,” Mr Lee said.

“There was no access to ATMs, internet, mobile phone coverage … people needed food, clothing, a toaster or a kettle.

Ballina Rotarians Glennis Ussher and Wayne Crawford ready to hand out thousands of dollars in vouchers at a pop-up shop during the 2022 flood recovery effort. Picture: Supplied.

The club “aimed for $100,000 in six weeks” – but reached that target in just 10 days.

When Cherry Street Sports Club was packed out by more than 400 flood victims, chief executive officer Tere Sheehan got the board and donated $50,000 to the Rotary fundraising.

Lennox Head’s The Ball and All sports podcast team – former Wallaby Berrick ‘Barnesy’ Barnes, sports business mentor Steve ‘Condo’ Condon and former Junior World Surfing champion James ‘Woody’ Wood – also got involved and momentum snowballed.

Rotary, Cherry Street and the The Ball and All worked up a community event at Lennox Head, got shark-punching surfing pro Mick Fanning to take part and raised about $520,000.

As Essential Energy got pockets of power back on for people forced to live in sheds and tents, truckloads of whitegoods and furniture rolled into town.

One of the temporary homes is put in place. Picture: Supplied.

“We were too old to be doing this, but we did it,” Mr Lee said.

“We still had money coming in and we looked at the housing situation … it was pretty bad.

“I reached out to Northern Rivers Community Gateway, who had a large list of people whose homes were unlikeable, and they’d been displaced.

“I had applied for DGR status – deductible gift recipient – which is very difficult to get for a service organisation.”

Within 18 months, the Rotary club was approved.

“It made a heck of a difference – a $200,000 donation went straight into the bank account,” Mr Lee said.

One of the temporary homes, about as big as a caravan. Picture: Supplied.

“This gave us a big shot to get our housing project underway.”

Mr Lee recalled one elderly flood survivor “whose terrible varicose veins had been exacerbated by stress” and “who had been trying with no luck to get to a doctor”.

“When she told our Harris Coffee partner Virginia Marsh how bad the pain was, they sat down and cried together,” he said.

“Virginia then got in touch with a surgeon in Sydney who was able to help.

“Even today, Virginia says it was one of the most memorable days she’s ever had in her life.”

The book launch of Turning the Tide is due to kick off at Cherry Street Sports Club at 4.30pm on Friday.

Got a news tip? Email [e-mail]